Page 56 of A Smile Full of Lies
Then I went to my office, to the desk drawer I always kept locked.
Middle right. Under a false panel. Not because I was hiding it - no one besides me ever came in here. But because some things deserved reverence and intention.
I slid the panel open and pulled out the mask.
Black leather. Sharp contours. Sleek. Tactical. Wired with thin neon X’s over the eyes and too-wide stitched mouth, bathing them in a violet glow when it was turned on. My signature.
The mask of Nox Obscura.
It was cool against my fingers, smooth and heavy like itmeant something.Like it knew what it was for.
I ran my thumb along the edge of the mouthpiece. I’d worn this thing in hundreds of scenes. Posted clips that made strangers come just from the sound of my distorted voice. But this time?
This time it wasn’t for strangers. This mask would touchher.
She wouldn’t know it was me — not with the lights down and the world turned upside down. But some part of her wouldfeelit. In the weight of the chase. In the grip of the hands that caught her. In the breath against her neck when she begged to be taken.
She’d run.
And I’d follow.
Chapter
Fifteen
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
ROS
My skin crawledas I stood near the entrance of the haunted house, the cool October air biting at my skin beneath the thin cotton of my favorite final girl hoodie. My fingers curled around the haunted house ticket, the damp paper sticking slightly to my palm.
I’d looked up the VIP ticket price the second I escaped to Knox’s guest room Wednesday morning, and I still felt guilty about accepting the ticket, considering they were going for a thousand fucking dollars a pop. But he’d insisted, and I didn’t want to insult him by not going or trying to take out a loan to pay him back after he told me not to, not when he was doing something so nice and thoughtful for my birthday. Still, the obscene price of it gave me guilt hives.
My gaze lifted toward the massive stone façade of the mansion. Lights flickered behind the tall arched windows. The heavy oak doors were flanked by wrought iron lanterns that cast long, twisting shadows over the stone.
I shouldn’t be here.
My gaze dropped to the ticket. The sharp foiled lettering cut across the thick black paper like a warning.
The Hollowing: An Immersive Haunted Experience at Stonewood Manor.
My gut twisted and somersaulted despite knowing Knox had approved this. He’d signed off on letting people trample through the house where his family was murdered.
My throat tightened.
Why the fuck would he do something like this?Why would he let a glorified, fancy-ass carnival profit off his pain?Why allow anyone or anything into the house where his family was murdered, much less a Haunted House experience?
I shook my head. It bordered on macabre and didn’t make a fucking bit of sense to me.
Anger burned under my skin, white-hot and seething, at the thought of anyone profiting off Knox’s pain. I’d turned Nina’s deal down cold for a fucking reason.
Why would Knox allow this?
“Do you think he’ll be here tonight?”
I stiffened. The line was moving too slowly, the hum of distant chatter mixing with the crisp October air. My gaze flicked toward the group of girls clustered just behind me.
“God, I hope so.” The blonde one giggled. “I bought tickets for both weekends that they’ve done this. I don’t care what it costs; I’m not leaving until he chases me.”
